Five people lost their lives and five others were injured in Chhattisgarh’s Kabirdham district on Sunday evening after a speeding truck, coming from the wrong direction, crashed head-on into a Bolero SUV. Among the dead were three women teachers, a young girl, and the driver of the vehicle.
Tragic crash near Akalgharia turn
The collision happened in the Chilphi valley area on National Highway-30, close to Akalgharia turn. Police said that the people in the Bolero were tourists who had gone to visit Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh and were on their way back to Bilaspur to catch a train. Eyewitnesses told police that the truck, which was coming from Kawardha towards Amarkantak at a very high speed, suddenly hit the Bolero head-on. The crash was so strong that the SUV was completely crushed, trapping the passengers inside. Local villagers rushed to the spot after hearing the loud sound and quickly informed the police.
Rescue efforts and investigation
Rescue teams arrived soon after and pulled the victims out of the damaged vehicle. Four people died on the spot, while the fifth victim, a minor girl, died later at the hospital. The injured were taken first to a Community Health Centre and later shifted to the District Hospital because of their serious condition. Traffic on the highway was stopped for some time due to the accident. Police have taken the truck into custody, but the driver escaped after the crash. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem, and officials are working to contact and inform the families of those who died.
